|
CLICK image Above
for LODGING
Hotels and motels
Florida Keys
and Key West
|
Indian Key
during Audubon's time and after
INDIAN
KEY
A portion
of Audubon's painting of the Booby Gannet has what is
believed to be a sketch of Indian Key. Click
on image
above to see entire Booby Gannett painting with isle in
background.
While at
staying at Indian Key Audubon records that there was
"
. . . a room ready for me to draw in, and my assistant
might have been busily engaged in skinning, while
George Lehman was making a sketch of this lovely
isle."
INDIAN
KEY - LATE 1800s
The
land, inhabitants, plants and animals of Florida was
of interest to many readers of the more populated
areas of the United States in the late 1800s. Florida
had became a part of the United States early in the
1800s and remained a curiosity to many. Thus Florida
was the subject of interest for a number of writers in
books and magazine articles. Travelogue books and
magazines such as Harper's Weekly and helped bring
distant places to the reader. Sketches such as the one
above helped the reader visualize the author's text.
Click
on the image for a larger
representation.
Indian
Key in Audubon's Time
Indian
Key during Audubon's time was a small community island of
about 10 acres located next to a good channel connecting
Florida Bay and the Ocean and prospered as a wrecking
port . Since it served as the home island for wreckers,
it had a field office with a Customs Inspector for the
U.S. Customs Service. The island also had a boarding
house, docks, a row of houses for residents, warehouses,
turtle crawls, the Tropical Hotel with bar and billiard
room and a bowling alley. Indian Key was made the County
Seat of newly formed Dad County four years after
Audubon's visit. Audubon described it as a "beautiful
rocky islet".
Portions
from pages in Volume II of his Ornithological
Biography are provided below:
"As
the "Marion" neared the islet called "Indian Key",
which is situated on the eastern coast of the
peninsula of Florida, my heart swelled with
uncontrollable delight. Our vessel once over the coral
reef that every where stretches along the shore like a
great wall, . . . we found ourselves a safe anchoring
ground, within a few furlongs of the land. The next
moment saw the oars of a boat propelling us toward the
shore, and in a brief time we stood on the desired
beach. With what delightful feelings did we gaze on
the objects before us! -the gorgeous flowers, the
singular and beautiful plants, the luxuriant trees.
The balmy air which we breathed filled us with
animation, so pure and salubrious did it seem ti be.
The birds we saw were almost all new to us; their
lovely forms appeared to be arrayed in more brilliant
apparel than I had ever before seen, and as they
gamboled in happy playfulness among the bushes, or
glided over the light green waters, we longed to form
a more intimate acquaintance with them."
"Students
of nature spend little time in introductions,
especially when they present themselves to persons who
feel an interest in their pursuits. This was the case
with Mr. Thurston, the Deputy Collector of the island
, who shook us all heartily by the hand, and in a
trice had a boat manned at our service. Accompanied by
him, his pilot (Mr. Egan) and fishermen, off we
went, and after a short pull landed on a large key.
(Lignumvitae Key and several large keys which make
up Islamorada are a short distance from Indian
Key.) Few minutes had elapsed, when shot after shot
might be heard, and down came whirling through the air
the objects of our desire. One thrust himself into the
tangled groves that covered all but the beautiful
coral beach that in a continued line bordered the
island, while others gazed on the glowing and
diversified hues of the curious inhabitants of the
deep. I saw one of my party rush into the limpid
element, to seize on a crab, that with claws extended
upwards, awaited his approach, as if determined not to
give way. A loud voice called him back to the land,
for sharks are as abundant along these shores as
pebbles, and the hungry prowlers could not have got a
more savoury dinner. "
"The
pilot, besides being a first rate shot, possessed a
most intimate acquaintance with the county. He had
been a 'conch-diver,' and no matter what number of
fathoms measured the distance between the surface of
the water and its craggy bottom, to seek for curious
shells in their retreat seemed to him more pastime
than toil. Not a Cormorant Pelican, a Flamingo, an
Ibis, or Heron, had ever in his days formed its nest
without his having marked the spot; and as to the Keys
to which the Doves are wont to resort, he was better
acquainted with them than many fops are with the
contents of their pockets. In a word he positively
knew every channel that led to these islands,and every
cranny along their shores . For years his employment
had been to hunt those singular animals called Sea
Cows or Manatees [manatees], and he had
conquered hundreds of them, 'merely,' as he said,
because the flesh and hide bring 'a fair price' at
Havannah. He never went anywhere to land
without 'Long Tom,' which proved indeed to be a
wonderful gun, and which made smart havoc when charged
with 'groceries,' a term by which he designated the
large shot he used. In like manner, he never paddled
his light canoe without having by his side the trusty
javelin, with which he unerringly transfixed such
fishes as he thought fit either for market or for his
own use. In attacking turtles, netting, or overturning
them, I doubt if his equal ever lived on the Florida
coast. No sooner was he made acquainted with my
errand, than he freely offered his best services, and
from that moment until I left Key West he was seldom
out of my hearing. "
"While
the young gentlemen who accompanied us were engaged in
procuring plants, shells, and small birds, he tapped
me on the shoulder, and with a smile said to me, 'Come
along, I'll shew you some thing better worth your
while.' To the boat we betook ourselves, with the
Captain and only a pair of tars, for more he said
would not answer. The yawl for a while was urged at a
great rate, but as we approached a point, the oars
were taken in, and the pilot alone sculling, desired
us to make ready, for in a few minutes we should have
'rare sport.' As we advanced, the more slowly did we
move, and the most profound silence was maintained,
until suddenly coming almost in contact with a thick
shrubbery of mangroves, we beheld, right before us, a
multitude of pelicans. A discharge of artillery seldom
produced more effect; the dead, the dying, and the
wounded, fell from the trees upon the water, while
those unscathed flew screaming through the air in
terror and dismay. 'There,' said he, 'did not I tell
you so; is it not rare sport-' The birds, one after
another, were lodged under the gunwales, when the
pilot desired the Captain to order the lads to pull
away. Within about half a mile we reached the
extremity of the key. 'Pull away,' cried the
pilot, 'never mind them on the wing, for those
black rascals don't mind a little firing-now, boys,
lay her close under the nests.' And there we were,
with four hundred cormorants' nests over our heads.
The birds were sitting, and when we fired, the number
that dropped as if dead and plunged into the
water was such, that I thought by some unaccountable
means or other we had killed the whole colony. You
would have smiled at the loud laugh and curious
gestures of the pilot. 'Gentlemen,' said he, 'almost a
blank shot! ' And so it was, for, on following the
birds as one after another peeped up from the water,
we found only a few unable to take to wing. 'Now,'
said the pilot, 'had you waited until I had spoken to
the black villains, you might have killed a score or
more of them.' On inspection, we found that our shots
had lodged in the tough dry twigs of which these birds
form their nests, and that we had lost the more
favourable opportunity of hitting them, by not waiting
until they rose. 'Never mind,' said the pilot, 'if you
wish it, you may load The Lady of the Green Mantle
[the Marion] with them in less than a week.
Stand still, my lads; and now, gentlemen, in ten
minutes you and I will bring down a score of them.'
And so we did. As we rounded the island, a beautiful
bird of the species called Peale's Egret, came up and
was shot. We now landed, took in the rest of our
party, and returned to Indian Key, where we arrived
three hours before sunset. "
Audubon
continued to explore nearby mangrove islands and collect
specimens that day and returned to Indian Key three hours
before sunset. Audubon writes,
"The
sailors and other individuals to whom my name and
pursuits had become known, carried our birds to the
pilot's house. His good wife had a room ready for me
to draw in, and my assistant might have been busily
engaged in skinning, while George Lehman was making a
sketch of this lovely isle.
Time
is precious to the student of nature. I placed several
birds in their natural attitudes, and began to outline
them. A dance had been prepared also, and no sooner
was the sun lost to our eye, than males and females,
including our captain and others from the vessel were
seen advancing gaily towards the house in full
apparel. The birds were skinned, the sketch was on
paper, and I told my young men to amuse themselves. As
to myself, I could not join in the merriment, for,
full of the remembrance of you reader, and of the
patrons of my work both in the Americas and in Europe,
I went on "grinding" -not on an organ . . . but on
paper, to finishing, not merely of my outlines, but of
my notes respecting the objects seen this day
."
"The
room adjoining that which I worked, was soon filled.
Two miserable fiddlers screwed their screeching silken
strings - not an inch of catgut graced their
instruments; and the bouncing of brave lads and lasses
shook the premises to the foundation. One with a slip
came down heavily on the floor, and the burst of
laughter that followed echoed the isle. Diluted claret
was handed round to cool the ladies, while a beverage
of more potent energies warmed their partners. After
supper our captain returned to the Marion, and I with
my young men, slept in swinging hammocks under the
eaves of the piazza."
Audubon
had promised his wife he would sleep always on the Marion
as she was afraid he would down with a tropical fever.
This is the only known instance were he did not tend to
his promise.
Audubon
is anxious to pursue his project and wakes his
exploration party up early the next morning.
"It
was the end of April, when the nights were short, and
the days therefore long. Anxious to turn every moment
to account, we were on board Mr. Thruston's boat at
three next morning. Pursuing our way through the deep
and tortuous channels that everywhere traverse the
immense muddy soap -like flats that stretch from the
outward Keys to the Main, we proceeded on our voyage
of discovery. Here and there we met with great beds of
floating sea-weeds, which showed us that Turtles were
abundant there, these masses being the refuse of their
feeding. On talking to Mr. Thruston of the nature of
these muddy flats, he mentioned that he had once been
lost amongst their narrow channels for several days
and nights, when in pursuit of some smugglers' boat,
the owners of which were better acquainted with the
place than the men who were along with him. Although
in full sight of several of the Keys, as well as of
the main land, he was unable to reach either, until a
heavy gale raised the water, when he sailed directly
over the flats, and returned home almost exhausted
with fatigue and hunger. His present pilot often
alluded to the circumstance afterwards, ending with a
great laugh, and asserting that had he "been there,
the rascals would not have escaped.
"Coming
under a Key on which multitudes of Frigate Pelicans
had begun to form their nests, we shot a good number
of them, and observed their habits. The boastings of
our pilot were here confirmed by the exploits which he
performed with his long gun, and on several occasions
he brought down a bird from a height of fully a
hundred yards. The poor birds, unaware of the range of
our artillery, sailed calmly along, so that it was not
difficult for 'Long Tom,' or rather for his owner, to
furnish us with as many as we required. The day was
spent in this manner, and towards night we returned,
laden with booty, to the hospitable home of the pilot.
For a
continuation of this account by Audubon go to
Sandy
Key.
Indian
Key Today
Indian
Key is now uninhabited and owned by the State of Florida
and is open for tours through the Recreation and Parks
Division. There you will find a great many Yucatan sisal
plants growing which are no doubt descendants of those
planted on the island by noted botanist Dr. Henry Perrine
in the 1830s. Dr. Perrine was killed during an Indian
attack on Indian Key in 1840.
You will
also find mangrove, palms, sea grapes and any number of
flowering plant, together with some old building
foundations, several cisterns from a period of time when
the Navy spent time on the island, and a more recent
observation tower built by the Park Service. Access to
the Island is by private boat or by an excision boat from
Robbie's Marina.
ISLAMORADA
BIRDING AND THREE PLACES OF LODGING
Not far
from Indian Key is Islamorada with lodging at Cheeca
Lodge, the Chesapeake Resort, and the Islander Resort.
Cheeca has a children's program. These are good places to
stay between birding excursions in the Middle
Keys.
Personnel
at these resort will assist you in getting directions and
finding water transportation and recommended guides to
Indian Key. Guides are also available for birding trips
to Sandy Key , nearby mangrove islands and the
Everglades.
A guide
out of Islamorada is Capt. Anne Baxter - MM 81.5
at WildWorld Sportsman. Islamorada,
305-852-4553
Adventure
tours for the kids and family, specialty tours, Indian
key ruins, Everglades, ocean reefs, photography, wildlife
identification, learn ecology and science while in search
of dolphin, reddish egrets, bald eagles, roseate
spoonbills and sea turtles. half day or full day of
exploring the waters of the Florida Keys, remote shallow
bays and narrow creeks where tropical wildlife lives.
Birding tours are usually around sunset when the birds
are coming to roost.
For more
information click on Easy Adventures at www.keysboats.com
1. Cheeca
Lodge
P.O. Box 527, Mile Marker 82
Islamorada, Florida United States
33036
DISCOUNT
RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION
about
Cheeca Lodge
Cheeca Lodge -
MM 82 -
Islamorada
Cheeca
Lodge has 203 rooms and suites and is a luxury resort
located in Islamorada.
Cheeca
offers a child's activity program for a fee for
vacationers staying at the resort. Camp Cheeca for ages 6
to 12 provides full day and half day sessions depending
on the number of children signing up.
2.
Islander Resort
Mile Marker 82.1
Islamorada, Florida United States
33036
DISCOUNT
RESERVATIONS AND
INFORMATION
for
Islander
resort
Islander Resort
- Mile
Marker 82.1-
Islamorada
114 rooms
- 92 of which have fully equipped kitchenettes. All rooms
have tile floors, color TV, dining table with four
chairs, and one double and one single bed. Kitchenettes
include a refrigerator, 20" stove, plates, silverware,
and pots and pans.
Over
twenty acres of tropically-landscaped grounds. All but
two rooms are ground floor, with parking close by your
room. Eleven-hundred feet of ocean frontage, with a
200-foot fishing pier. Over twenty acres of beautifully
landscaped grounds - directly on the ocean.
3.
Chesapeake Resort
83409 Overseas Hwy.
Islamorada, Florida United States
33036
DISCOUNT
RESERVATIONS AND
INFORMATION
for
Chesapeake Resort Islamorada
Chesapeake Resort -
Oceanside
- Islamorada
Forty-four
rooms - Chesapeake Resort offers a choice of guest rooms,
eight suites, and 13 villas with fully-equipped kitchens.
Most rooms open to spectacular water views, with others
framing the lush gardens tended by the resort's resident
horticulturist.
THIS
PAGE CREATED BY FLORIDA KEYS BEST
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
http://www.floridakeysbest.com site
map
email@floridakeysbest.com
Florida
Keys Best
386 East Seaview Drive
Marathon, Florida 33050
305-289-1872
|
